FACT CHECK: Is the U.S. Providing Financial Support For New Trains in Peru?

A post on X implies that the United States is “building a passenger train” in Peru, and states that it could be giving money to domestic citizens instead.

Joe Biden admin a month ago: Sorry, we don’t have enough money to help American hurricane victims. $750 is all she had for North Carolinians that had their lives ruined.

Biden admin yesterday: We are building a passenger train in Lima, Peru and now He’s leading us into WWIII… pic.twitter.com/IvZTNjUL20

— Ape𝕏 (@CubanOnlyTrump) November 17, 2024

Verdict: Misleading

No U.S. taxpayer money is being sent for railways. Caltrain is selling decommissioned trains to Peru.

Fact Check:

Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently announced U.S. support for the construction of a passenger train line in Peru.

Today we announced that the United States will support the city of Lima in building a new passenger train line that will expand access to reliable and affordable transportation for over 200,000 people every single day. pic.twitter.com/h1TGSHxriA

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) November 17, 2024

Social Media users are believing that the post is alluding to the U.S. sending financial aid to Peru to fund these new railway services. Users are also criticizing the decision, citing the $750 grants given to North Carolina residents in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

These users are mistaken, however. No financial aid is being provided to Peru through this agreement. In remarks made at the donation ceremony in Lima, Secretary Blinken made no mention of a dollar amount going to Peru. (RELATED: Are The $750 In FEMA Grants For Hurricane Victims Actually a Loan?)

Peru is taking ownership of recently retired diesel locomotives from Caltrain, a commuter rail that serves the San Francisco Bay Area. Caltrain decommissioned these trains in September as part of an initiative to make it’s entire commuter fleet all-electric.

Caltrain sold off 90 passenger cars and 19 diesel locomotives, netting a total $6 million from the municipal government of Lima. The X post from Secretary Blinken announcing the deal was hit with a community note giving context to users that explained the lack of money being transferred.

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